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Screenwriter, healthcare IT consultant, cinephile, oboist, erstwhile physicist, sports fan, and Wisconsinite.
My blog, Northwoods Listener, features an eclectic mix of subjects – history, philosophy, Shakespeare, music, and classic film, to name a few. You may also hear about various sports in their seasons and especially about professional tennis, whose season lasts for nearly the entire calendar year.
Please see my first post, "3, 2, 1,..." (http://wp.me/p4OZFj-4) for additional biographical information.
I am on LinkedIn (Cynthia Tanner, Madison, Wisconsin) and on Twitter (@CJSTTwo).

Denouement: Into the Arms of Angels, Part 14 of 14

For Part 1 and a glossary of screenwriting abbreviations, please click here.

Each installment concludes with a link to its successor.

INT. THE LOBBY OF COUNTY DAIRY – THE SAME DAY (FRIDAY)

Joe walks from a corridor into the County Dairy lobby carrying the paper bag from the airport gift shop.

Toby emerges through another door from the factory floor.

Both men pause briefly and then walk to meet each other in the center of the lobby.

Toby shakes Joe’s hand and holds it for several extra seconds.

The men chat. At first, they are too far away to be audible.

JOE

…when we land, they don’t have a gate for us; so we can’t get off the plane. We taxi way the heck over to some parking spot and just wait. I got worried I’d miss my connection.

TOBY

Oh, man!

Phil enters the lobby and walks over to join Joe and Toby.

JOE

And then d’you know what the pilot said? He comes on and explains that we have to wait, and says they’re going to put us in the “penalty box.” I mean, how appropriate is that?

TOBY

Ah, but who got the power play?

JOE

Beats me…Hey, Phil.

PHIL

Joe! Glad to see that you’re back. What was it again that happened to you?

JOE

I had a seizure.

PHIL

You’re not likely to do that again soon, are you?

JOE

That might just be in your hands, Phil.

PHIL

Good, good. Well, I’ve got news, just in from Pulaski, and as promised, changes are coming.

Phil pauses. Joe and Toby wait patiently.

PHIL (CONT’D)

In fact, County faces its biggest personnel change since, well, since Gabriel, you know…

Phil looks at Joe. Joe and Toby continue to wait, listening.

PHIL (CONT’D)

Prob’ly even since you and Gabriel came on board.

Phil pauses again. Joe and Toby continue to wait.

PHIL (CONT’D)

The big news is that I am going to move.

Joe and Toby do not react.

PHIL (CONT’D)

So –

TOBY

Is this for good then?

PHIL

Unless and until they send me back here.

TOBY

Why would they do that? D’you think they’ll decide they don’t like you?

PHIL

No, of course not. That would never happen; but I’ll go wherever Pulaski sends me. If they say Black Earth –

TOBY

So you’re not leaving-leaving, you’re just going out to the HQ, in Chicago?

PHIL

That’s right. Why? Were you starting to miss me?

TOBY

It’s early days yet.

PHIL

Well, in two months’ time, County will have to do without me.

TOBY

Somehow, Phil, we’ll learn to manage.

PHIL

Now you’re not going to have another seizure on us, Joe?

JOE

No. At this point, I can definitely say “No.”

Phil turns and abruptly walks toward the exit.

PHIL

Lunch, anyone? I’m treating today.

JOE

Go ahead, Phil. I’ll catch up.

PHIL

Don’t take too long, Joe. I want to be rolling in five.

Joe nods and half-waves at Phil with his right hand.

INT. DANE COUNTY AIRPORT – 10 SEPTEMBER 2001

Joe fidgets with the hem of his right jacket pocket.

Joe and Gabriel stand facing each other at a gate at the Madison airport. In the right pocket of Joe’s jacket is a floppy disk.

GATE AGENT (O.S.)

Now boarding all rows for Flight 4264 nonstop service to Chicago’s O’Hare airport. All ticketed and confirmed passengers are welcome to board through the doorway marked “3.”

Gabriel and Joe grin at each other.

GABRIEL

This is it. Wish me luck!

Gabriel and Joe hug.

JOE

Good luck, Gabe! I’m sure you’ll knock their socks off.

GABRIEL

Then I’ll bring one back as a souvenir.

Joe chuckles and coughs. He absently touches the outside of his right jacket pocket.

Gabriel stares intensely at Joe as though an unexpected feeling – an incomprehensible premonition – has washed over him.

Feeling the disk in his pocket, Joe starts.

At the same moment, Gabriel seizes Joe’s right upper arm and gazes at him intently.

JOE

Oh, Gabe –

GABRIEL

Hey…You know I love you, don’t you, Squirt? Take care of yourself.

Shocked by Gabriel’s sudden candor, Joe lets the fingers of his right hand fall away from his pocket. He grins.

JOE

Uh, Me too, Gabe. You know that.

Gabriel lets go of Joe’s arm, shakes his head, and smiles.

GABRIEL

‘Bye, Joe.

Gabriel turns, gives his boarding pass to the GATE AGENT, and walks down the jetway.

At the final corner he turns, smiles, and waves to Joe.

Joe returns his wave and stares after him in puzzlement.

The gate agent closes the door to the jetway.

INT. THE LOBBY OF COUNTY DAIRY – FRIDAY – 2006

Joe crosses the lobby carrying the bag from the gift shop.

He stops at a display case that contains a memorial to Gabriel. He opens its glass doors.

Toby follows Joe to the display case and stops on Joe’s right.

The display case has two shelves, each about three feet wide and about seven inches deep.

At the center of the lower shelf is an 11X17 framed photo of Gabriel. To the right of the photo is an engraved plaque.

On the shelves are memorabilia including a five-inch-high Bucky Badger, a Wisconsin Badger basketball fan t-shirt, a dried corsage, a wedding garter, a church key, a small stack of poker chips, a tennis racquet, and a pool ball.

Flanking the display on the left and right, respectively, are framed photographs of Gabriel with his parents and two sisters and Gabriel with his wife at their wedding.

Joe studies the display and then opens the bag. He pulls out a small “I [heart] NY” button, which he places on the top shelf just left of center.

Toby stands watching silently.

Joe pulls the Twin Towers figurine from the bag, places it gently near the center of the top shelf, straightens it, checks it a last time, and smiles.

Otto walks up and stops on Joe’s left. All three men stand in front of the memorial for several seconds.

Joe’s eyes are moist, but he is composed.

Toby gently touches Joe’s right shoulder.

TOBY

You ready to go?

JOE

Yes, I am. Thank you.

Otto wraps his right arm around Joe’s shoulder, squeezes for a few seconds, and lets go.

I enjoyed so very much this thoughtful story set in your beloved home state of Wisconsin. You very masterfully weaved in small-town America with New York City set against the backdrop of 9/11. The themes of corporate enterprise and family dynamics were matched only by the deep forays you made into the exploration of the human condition relative to friendship and marriage, and

I enjoyed so very much this thoughtful story set in your beloved home state of Wisconsin. You very masterfully weaved in small-town America with New York City set against the backdrop of 9/11. The themes of corporate enterprise and family dynamics were matched only by the deep forays you made into the exploration of the human condition relative to friendship and marriage, even as you examined concepts and characteristics that are often hard to understand but make us who we are.